Thomas Muller believes no Bundesliga rival will be able to match Bayern Munich’s strength in the coming season, with the club targeting another title under manager Vincent Kompany.
Speaking to German publication Welt before Bayern’s opening league fixture against Stuttgart, Muller said Kompany’s demanding approach would ensure the team maintained its intensity throughout the campaign.
“Under Kompany’s leadership, the team will never relax, because he will certainly be demanding. But I don’t think any team in the Bundesliga can compete with Bayern Munich this season,” said Muller.
The former Bayern player expects the German champions to finish with a points total similar to last season’s 89, a figure he believes will be difficult for their rivals to approach.
Bayer Leverkusen achieved a comparable level during the 2023-24 campaign, when their outstanding performances and numerous late goals helped them produce an exceptional season. Muller, however, regards that achievement as an isolated case rather than a sign that the same standard will become routine.
He identified Borussia Dortmund, RB Leipzig and Bayer Leverkusen as established contenders, while also praising Stuttgart’s ambition. Even so, Muller does not expect Stuttgart to collect more than 80 points, and he doubts Leverkusen will be able to repeat their previous success.
“Borussia Dortmund will be strong, of course. If Bayern Munich weren’t so dominant, Borussia Dortmund would be eager to win the title, but that won’t happen,” he added.
Bayern’s early recruitment has also underlined their determination to improve. The club signed the highly rated players Saibari and Nealy Brown at the start of the season, spending about 100m euros in total.
Muller also dismissed concerns that the World Cup would have a lasting effect on one player, although he did not identify him in the interview. He said that if the player can preserve the physical condition he has shown in recent years, he should continue to perform well and score regularly.
Among the coaches he plans to watch most closely is Demichelis. Muller said their previous time together as team-mates at Bayern Munich made the coach’s progress at RB Leipzig particularly interesting to him.
He was equally positive about Stuttgart manager Sebastian Hoeneß, crediting him with giving the club a clear tactical identity and a greater sense of stability.
“I think Sebastian Hoeneß has done an excellent job with Stuttgart. He has a clear tactical identity, and you can see he is passionate about everything,” Muller said.
He believes Stuttgart will remain a serious contender for Champions League qualification, but expressed greater reservations about Eintracht Frankfurt.
Muller said Krosche had previously identified several talented players and sold them for substantial fees. However, he argued that although Frankfurt continue to recruit promising players, the team’s overall performances have recently been disappointing.
Hutter is already the club’s third manager in a year, and Muller said he would be interested to see whether Frankfurt can recover their form. Expectations remain high after the club’s strong recent period, including their Europa League triumph in 2022.
Muller also welcomed Schalke 04’s return to the Bundesliga. He described playing at the club’s stadium as a special experience, highlighting the atmosphere and the importance of football to supporters in the Ruhr area.
He does not expect Schalke 04 to achieve a major breakthrough immediately, saying their main objective will be to remain in the top flight.
The return of Schalke 04 and Hamburger SV was also welcomed by Muller because of the size of their fan bases. At the same time, he said there was appeal in seeing smaller clubs such as Elversberg and Paderborn promoted through hard work and a clearly defined philosophy.
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